“The public has a substantial and legitimate interest in this decision, and the Museum of Modern Art has not yet offered a compelling justification for the cultural and environmental waste of destroying this much-admired, highly distinctive twelve-year-old building,” the letter says.

The Architectural League is a nonprofit organization that promotes innovation in architecture and design. The open letter is signed by more than 30 architects and includes prominent names, such as Richard Meier, who designed the campus of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

MoMA spokeswoman Margaret Doyle said: “We are aware of this but do not have a response at this time.”

MoMA purchased the critically-acclaimed building in 2011 after the American Folk Art Museum defaulted on nearly $32 million in bond debt. Earlier this month, MoMA announced their intention to demolish the neighboring structure, saying it wasn’t compatible with their expansion plans. The floors of the Folk Art building don’t line up with those at MoMA, the museum said, and the opaque facade is inconsistent with its glass aesthetic.